az4783054
04-28-2011, 11:13 AM
I ordered critical parts for an MK9 on the morning of 04/21. The phone call was answered fairly promptly, quite a difference from my past experience(s) waiting for a KAHR sales representative. I thought that might be a good sign that things were improving in the parts department.
The woman who took the order sounded like she may be a new parts representative, so I had her repeat my order items and the billing and mailing addresses. I told her my last parts order a few months ago came with the incorrect parts (but it did arrive in about 7 days).
I told her repeated phone calls to get the correct parts re-ordered went unanswered, with no return calls from voice mail or e-mail to this date. I told her I ended up modifying the parts (stainless guide rod and springs) since I could not get through to KAHR via their normal channels. I told her I hoped this would not be a repeat experience. Maybe that was to suggestive?
http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?p=43187#post43187
She asked for my e-mail address so I could receive periodic KAHR product information. I provided it. Maybe I should reconsider that now?
I asked when the parts would ship, she said "today or tomorrow."
On 04/27 just for the heck of it, I checked my account information on the KAHR website and realized the woman representative had somehow managed to switch my mailing address and billing addresses. That could cause the credit card company to deny the billing charges. I corrected the information online.
I hoped there was a link to determine "where's my order" online, but the account page said nothing was being processed. That really concerned me. If that was accurate why hadn't KAHR contacted me to correct the issue? Never mind, it's a rhetorical question.
As of today 04/28 (1 week from the original order date), I had not received the items. "Jay" answered the phone promptly today. Again, that was a nice surprise instead of the endless background music and "please stay on the line" messages I'd experienced in past phone calls to order parts. I explained I had not received the parts order yet and asked for a tracking number and manner of shipping and wanted to confirm the mailing address again. I also told him of the previous erroneous parts order from the past and didn't want a repeat experience. He didn't ask for more information about it. Water under the bridge.
I told him I had an order number, but he didn't ask me what it was. What's the purpose of an order number then? But with my zip code(s) and name, he did quickly find my account information, which he verified.
I explained to "Jay" the issue. He asked if my credit card had been billed yet. I didn't have that information in front of me. He asked if I ordered the parts online. No, I told him it was via phone. He asked if I knew who I talked to..."ahh no, but it was a woman who sounded like she was unsure of how to take the order". He said they "don't normally take phone orders". What?? When did that become their policy? No reply to my question.
He said "shipping would normally take 1-2 weeks since you're way out in AZ". OK, it's already been 1 week. And he said "once the order is taken, it might be a few days before it's actually shipped". He said it's "because of the delay in processing the shipping and billing information". Isn't this the electronic age? Wouldn't it be wise to inform the customer of that inconvenience?
He asked me to wait a few minutes and he'd look up the information. Sure no problem. Maybe it's not computerized? Maybe on another computer system?
He came back promptly and said the order "wasn't shipped until 04/26...via FEDEX ground...and not to expect the parts to arrive until sometime next week". Ordered on the 21st, but not shipped until the 26th? The original representative said it would be shipped that day or the next.
He read off the parts, so hopefully the order will come as I placed it. But wholly crap! The parts are not hazardous material required to be shipped via ground. Maybe the customer should be informed of this antiquated manner of shipping parts and given the option to pay a little more for faster delivery?
I asked for the tracking number but he said it wouldn't be in the system yet anyway. So no tracking number was provided.
It was the Easter weekend just after I ordered the parts. My bad. Maybe the facility was closed on Good Friday? Maybe the original representative and/or "Jay" could have mentioned that if it's the reason for the shipping delay?
This is frustrating, especially in light of the first order fiasco. I hope someone from KAHR corporate is listening and reading this.
Your service department (representative "Ion") answers the phone promptly. He doesn't lack for technical information when asked. Service is performed promptly and correctly, at least in my personal experience. I recently sent in a P40 slide for fresh night sights. The service was performed promptly and returned within ten days. I couldn't be happier with your service department.
FWIW, I included a letter within the shipping package when I sent in the slide, describing my dissatisfaction of my previous parts order. I hoped someone would pass the letter on to the appropriate customer service supervisor and maybe, I'd hear from KAHR. Sadly, it didn't happen.
However, whoever runs the KAHR parts department (and maybe the KAHR shipping department) "needs improvement" in their next evaluation. The parts department needs to be as efficient as the service department if not better. Your representatives answered the phones promptly in this instance. That's definitely an improvement from the past.
The KAHR customer is at a disadvantage as small parts can't be ordered from any other source. Parts have to be ordered "from the factory". At least make that inconvenience a pleasant experience with prompt representative contact via phone, voice mail or e-mail. Ship the orders as quickly as possible via a manner chosen by the customer. Give the customer shipping options. After all, the customer is paying for it, it's not like it's free shipping.
Mr. Moon, if I can't get prompt parts support for my KAHR products, I have serious concerns about buying any KAHR products in the future or even keeping the KAHR pistols I now own (currently PM9, MK9, K9, P40 of the nine KAHR pistols owned over the years).
Feel free to respond in any manner you chose Mr. Moon. I answer phone calls, return voice mail and e-mails promptly.
****************************
UPDATE: On the afternoon of 05/04 I finally received my order from KAHR.
The damn parts order was wrong again despite the parts representative being given the KAHR parts numbers right off their website and repeating those numbers and description back to me, exactly as I ordered.
They sent me two metal MK9 magazine base plates instead of magazine followers for the seven and six round magazines. The packing list part numbers are correct for one of the followers, but they shipped the wrong parts. So the parts were either entered wrong after I ordered them or pulled wrong from stock.
I wait all this time and get the wrong parts. This is my second parts order from the company and both times they've sent me the incorrect parts!
I tried to call KAHR as soon as I realized the incorrect parts were delivered by FEDEX. No such luck. The company is closed now so I can't even call them back today to get the correct parts ordered. This is so damn frustrating.
Joe Mayo (supervisor?) will get an ear full in the morning.
************************************
PLEASE read the update below. Good news!
The woman who took the order sounded like she may be a new parts representative, so I had her repeat my order items and the billing and mailing addresses. I told her my last parts order a few months ago came with the incorrect parts (but it did arrive in about 7 days).
I told her repeated phone calls to get the correct parts re-ordered went unanswered, with no return calls from voice mail or e-mail to this date. I told her I ended up modifying the parts (stainless guide rod and springs) since I could not get through to KAHR via their normal channels. I told her I hoped this would not be a repeat experience. Maybe that was to suggestive?
http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?p=43187#post43187
She asked for my e-mail address so I could receive periodic KAHR product information. I provided it. Maybe I should reconsider that now?
I asked when the parts would ship, she said "today or tomorrow."
On 04/27 just for the heck of it, I checked my account information on the KAHR website and realized the woman representative had somehow managed to switch my mailing address and billing addresses. That could cause the credit card company to deny the billing charges. I corrected the information online.
I hoped there was a link to determine "where's my order" online, but the account page said nothing was being processed. That really concerned me. If that was accurate why hadn't KAHR contacted me to correct the issue? Never mind, it's a rhetorical question.
As of today 04/28 (1 week from the original order date), I had not received the items. "Jay" answered the phone promptly today. Again, that was a nice surprise instead of the endless background music and "please stay on the line" messages I'd experienced in past phone calls to order parts. I explained I had not received the parts order yet and asked for a tracking number and manner of shipping and wanted to confirm the mailing address again. I also told him of the previous erroneous parts order from the past and didn't want a repeat experience. He didn't ask for more information about it. Water under the bridge.
I told him I had an order number, but he didn't ask me what it was. What's the purpose of an order number then? But with my zip code(s) and name, he did quickly find my account information, which he verified.
I explained to "Jay" the issue. He asked if my credit card had been billed yet. I didn't have that information in front of me. He asked if I ordered the parts online. No, I told him it was via phone. He asked if I knew who I talked to..."ahh no, but it was a woman who sounded like she was unsure of how to take the order". He said they "don't normally take phone orders". What?? When did that become their policy? No reply to my question.
He said "shipping would normally take 1-2 weeks since you're way out in AZ". OK, it's already been 1 week. And he said "once the order is taken, it might be a few days before it's actually shipped". He said it's "because of the delay in processing the shipping and billing information". Isn't this the electronic age? Wouldn't it be wise to inform the customer of that inconvenience?
He asked me to wait a few minutes and he'd look up the information. Sure no problem. Maybe it's not computerized? Maybe on another computer system?
He came back promptly and said the order "wasn't shipped until 04/26...via FEDEX ground...and not to expect the parts to arrive until sometime next week". Ordered on the 21st, but not shipped until the 26th? The original representative said it would be shipped that day or the next.
He read off the parts, so hopefully the order will come as I placed it. But wholly crap! The parts are not hazardous material required to be shipped via ground. Maybe the customer should be informed of this antiquated manner of shipping parts and given the option to pay a little more for faster delivery?
I asked for the tracking number but he said it wouldn't be in the system yet anyway. So no tracking number was provided.
It was the Easter weekend just after I ordered the parts. My bad. Maybe the facility was closed on Good Friday? Maybe the original representative and/or "Jay" could have mentioned that if it's the reason for the shipping delay?
This is frustrating, especially in light of the first order fiasco. I hope someone from KAHR corporate is listening and reading this.
Your service department (representative "Ion") answers the phone promptly. He doesn't lack for technical information when asked. Service is performed promptly and correctly, at least in my personal experience. I recently sent in a P40 slide for fresh night sights. The service was performed promptly and returned within ten days. I couldn't be happier with your service department.
FWIW, I included a letter within the shipping package when I sent in the slide, describing my dissatisfaction of my previous parts order. I hoped someone would pass the letter on to the appropriate customer service supervisor and maybe, I'd hear from KAHR. Sadly, it didn't happen.
However, whoever runs the KAHR parts department (and maybe the KAHR shipping department) "needs improvement" in their next evaluation. The parts department needs to be as efficient as the service department if not better. Your representatives answered the phones promptly in this instance. That's definitely an improvement from the past.
The KAHR customer is at a disadvantage as small parts can't be ordered from any other source. Parts have to be ordered "from the factory". At least make that inconvenience a pleasant experience with prompt representative contact via phone, voice mail or e-mail. Ship the orders as quickly as possible via a manner chosen by the customer. Give the customer shipping options. After all, the customer is paying for it, it's not like it's free shipping.
Mr. Moon, if I can't get prompt parts support for my KAHR products, I have serious concerns about buying any KAHR products in the future or even keeping the KAHR pistols I now own (currently PM9, MK9, K9, P40 of the nine KAHR pistols owned over the years).
Feel free to respond in any manner you chose Mr. Moon. I answer phone calls, return voice mail and e-mails promptly.
****************************
UPDATE: On the afternoon of 05/04 I finally received my order from KAHR.
The damn parts order was wrong again despite the parts representative being given the KAHR parts numbers right off their website and repeating those numbers and description back to me, exactly as I ordered.
They sent me two metal MK9 magazine base plates instead of magazine followers for the seven and six round magazines. The packing list part numbers are correct for one of the followers, but they shipped the wrong parts. So the parts were either entered wrong after I ordered them or pulled wrong from stock.
I wait all this time and get the wrong parts. This is my second parts order from the company and both times they've sent me the incorrect parts!
I tried to call KAHR as soon as I realized the incorrect parts were delivered by FEDEX. No such luck. The company is closed now so I can't even call them back today to get the correct parts ordered. This is so damn frustrating.
Joe Mayo (supervisor?) will get an ear full in the morning.
************************************
PLEASE read the update below. Good news!